Background: Early diagnosis of breast cancer has been associated with better outcomes in diagnosed cases. Breast self-examination (BSE) is an inexpensive but effective method of identifying breast masses that may be cancerous. Objectives: To identify the knowledge, attitude and practice of BSE among women in Abia State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a cross sectional study of 415 women in Aba, a commercial city in Abia State. Pretested questionnaires were administered on women who consented to participate in the study. Analysis of data was done using IBM SPSS Version 20. Results: The mean age of the 415 participants was 36.7±9.9 years. About 9% of respondents had a positive family history of breast cancer. Majority of the women; 76% (331) had heard of BSE with highest (34%) source of information being radio and television. While 67.5% knew how to do BSE, only 32% knew the right frequency for performing BSE. Though majority of women agreed that it was necessary to see a doctor for breast examination; only 39% had done so previously while 54% felt having a doctor examine their breast would be embarrassing. Only 28% of the women had practiced BSE in the past. Reasons given for not practicing BSE were lack of knowledge and forgetfulness. Conclusion: This study demonstrated high knowledge and good attitude but poor practice of BSE.

Background: Low vision and blindness are significant public health issues worldwide. They result in educational, occupational, and social challenges in the affected persons. Their care givers/ families are also severely affected. There is however limited data on the magnitude of visual impairment in Aba, South East Nigeria. Objective: To determine the prevalence and causes of low vision and blindness among adult patients attending eye clinic in a tertiary hospital in South East Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was an institutional-based retrospective, descriptive study involving 457 patients who attended Abia State University Teaching Hospital eye clinic between April and September 2018. Data was obtained from patient’s hospital records within the period under study and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 25.0. Statistical significance was set at a P-value of < 0.05. Results: Data of 457 ophthalmic patients who met the inclusion criteria for this study were analyzed. Mean age of respondents was 48.5 ± 17.7 years. A total 5.4% of the patients had bilateral low vision, while 30.2% and 7% had monocular and bilateral blindness respectively. Cataract-related diagnosis, refractive errors and glaucoma (28.4%, 28.2% and 14.7%) respectively were the major causes of low vision and blindness among the patients. Statistically significant association was found between respondent’s diagnosis and age as well as occupation (P<0.001). Conclusion: Results from this study will aid in planning low vision & blindness preventive programs and improving eye care services.

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of health workers training and implementation of the FAST strategy on the “FAST” indicators at Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH); a tertiary referral facility. ”FAST” strategy; a focused approach to stopping TB spread in congregate settings developed by TB Care1 stands for Finding TB cases Actively, Separating safely, and Treating effectively. Study Design: This was a facility based interventional study using control group design methods with ABSUTH as the intervention facility while Federal Medical Centre Umuahia (FMCU) was the control. Methodology: Health workers (74 across cadres; doctors, nurses, laboratory scientist and medical record staff)  selected through stratified random sampling were trained to ensure daily cough surveillance and screening for TB among patients at the General outpatient, medical wards and HIV clinic of ABSUTH under supervision of a “FAST” focal person.Baseline “Fast Indicators” in the facility TB records of newly diagnosed TB patients 3 months before and 3 months after the training intervention were obtained. Results: At baseline the “FAST” strategy indicators recorded in the study facility include time to diagnosis > 1 week, time to treatment 3.5 days, presumptive TB cases 92, number of cases commenced on treatment were 22 while presumptive DRTB cases was 0.33. This study observed a significant positive difference in all the “FAST” indicators following the intervention. Time to diagnosis decreased by 52%, time to treatment decreased by 17% while the number of presumptive TB cases increased by over 100%. Number of TB cases diagnosed also increased by 100% as well as the cases commenced on treatment by 91%, while number of diagnosed DRTB cases increased by over 100%.These were all statistically significant ( P=.013,.03, .032,  and .049 except time to treatment P= 0.053). Conclusion: The training intervention on ‘FAST” strategy of TB infection Control significantly improved FAST Indicators in the intervention facility with attendant reduction in diagnostic delays and increased case notification.

Background: Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) offers important protective effects on child survival. Knowledge on EBF is a prerequisite to enhance its practice among nursing mothers. Objective: To determine the knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding practice among nursing mothers attending Under-5 Welfare Clinic in a tertiary health facility in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study involving 333 nursing mothers. Pre-tested self/interviewer administered questionnaires were used to obtain information from consenting eligible women. Knowledge was assessed using a 12-point score and classified as good or poor. Data obtained was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 25. Results: Our respondents had a mean age of 31±4.9years while 84.7% were 27 years and above. Majority were married (93.1%) with 57% of them having at least two (2) living children. Well over half of the respondents had attained a tertiary education. Antenatal care (ANC) was attended by 94.9% of the women where 96.8% said they had received advice on EBF. A total of 86% of the women had good knowledge score of EBF. Educational status and occupation showed statistically significant association with knowledge of EBF among the mothers (p=<0.001 and p=0.018) respectively while marital status (p=0.046), number of living children (p=0.001), educational status (p=<0.001) and occupation (p=0.050) all showed significant association with ANC attendance. Conclusion: The effect of female education on knowledge of health issues is brought to the fore by the findings of this study. More emphasis on delivering at health facilities where information to women on the practice of optimal breastfeeding is readily available will go a long way to reduce the infant and maternal mortality rates in Nigeria.

Aim: To determine the common complaints and predisposing factors of low vision and blindness among adult ophthalmic patients in Abia State University Teaching Hospital, (ABSUTH), Aba, Nigeria. Study Design: A retrospective, descriptive study. Methodology: An institutional-based study involving 457 patients who attended Abia State University Teaching Hospital eye clinic between April and September 2018 was undertaken. The patients’ biodata, clinical history, ophthalmic examination findings, and results of ancillary investigations were obtained from patients’ hospital records within the period under study and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 25.0. AP-value of < 0.05 was taken to be statistical significant. Result: A total of 457 patients comprising of 206 males and 251 females, aged 18-85 years were seen in the study period. Based on World Health Organization (WHO)’s definition of low vision and blindness, two hundred and eighty-four (62.1%) patients had normal vision, 25(5.5%) patients had low vision while 32(7%) patients were blind. The most common complaint was blurring of vision, 136 (23.5%) followed by itching of the eye, 91 (15.7%) and tearing, 86 (14.9%). Forty percent of the respondents’ complaints had lasted for over 12 months before presentation at the clinic. Common predisposing factors for low vision and blindness observed in this study were hypertension (24.1%), previous drug use (5%), previous use of traditional medication (1.3%) and family ocular history (3.7%). No statistically significant association was found between diagnostic data and family ocular history, previous use of traditional medication and previous drug use. Statistically, significant relationship was found between diagnostic data and blood pressure (P< 0.001). Conclusion: There are various presentations of low vision and blindness in Aba. Routine eye check, early referral and appropriate treatment is advocated for the populace.